Washing-machine



WASHING MACHINE. No. 552,466'. Patented Deo. 31, 1895.

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Nrrnn STATES ArnNr risica,

JOHN BRELSFORD'AND JOHN O. BRELSFORD, OF FREELAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,466, datedrDecember 31, 1895. ippnanon ned May 8,1895. serial No. 548,579. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN BRELsFoRD and J oHN O. BRELsnoRD, citizens of the United States, residing at Freeland, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful VVashing-Wiachine, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to improvements in washing-machines.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of washing-machines, and to provide a simple and efficient one, capable of thoroughly and rapidly cleaning clothes without injuring them and with a minimum amount of labor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing-machine which may be read ily operated without necessitating the operator assuming an unnatural or irksome position.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In-the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a washing-machine constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures of the drawings.

1 designates a rectangular washing-machine body, supported by suitable legs and provided with a removable cover 2, having a grip or handle and having one edge interlocking with the adjacent portion of the top of the body and secured at the opposite edge by abutton. Vithin the body is journaled apair of horizontal transvcrsely-disposed shafts 3 and 4, each carrying a pair of sprocket-wheels 5, receiving endless chains G, to which are secured transverse clothes-carrying slats 7. The slats form an endless apron or carrier and are provided at intervals with projecting pins S, which engage the clothes and carry them over a rubbing-surface, conforming to the configuration of the endless carrier. The shaft 3 is extended through the front side of the washing-machine body and carries a pinion 9, which meshes with a cog-wheel 10 of a stub-shaft or journal 11, and the cog-wheel is rotated by a crank-handle 12, whereby the endless carrier or conveyer is set in motion.

The rubbing-surface of the washing-machine body consists of curved end portions 13 and ayielding rubbing-board 14. The curved end portions are composed of transverse run gs or rods rigidly secured to the sides of the washing-machine body and arranged in a curved line, and the bottom rubbing-board has a corrugated upper face or rubbing-sun face and is mounted on supporting-springs 15 and is iiexibly connected at its ends to the adjacent portions of the parts 13 by iicXible strips 16, which permit the bottom rubbingboard to be depressed and to yield to an excess of clothes accumulating at the bottom of the washing-machine to prevent any liability of the clothes being torn or otherwise injured while being carried over the rubbin g-surfaces by the endless conveyer.

In order to increase the rubbing action and to render the washing-1nachine more effective, the sides are provided with rubbing-surfaces 17, arranged in the space between the endless conveyer and the rubbing-surfaces 13 and 14 and the cover of the washing-machine and consisting of a series of bars arranged in the form of an ellipse. The elliptical rubbingsurfaces, which are disposed in the path of the clothes, are preferably composed of short bars or pieces having curved or convex faces.

`rlhe transverse slats,- which are secured to the links of the endless chain, may be either flat, as shown in the accompanying dra-wings, or they may be provided with curved or corrugated faces.

It will be seenthat the washing-machine is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is capable of thoroughly and rapidly rubbing the clothes being washed, and that the crank may be readily turned to operate the endless conveyer without necessitating the operator assuming an inconvenient or unnatural position.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of Vthe advantages of this invention, such as adapting the gearing to be IOO readily operated by a treadle instead of a crank, or by a spring, Weight, or other form of motor.

1. The combination of a. body, sprocket wheels mounted on suitable shafts, endless chains arranged on the sprocket wheels7 slats carried by the chains and provided with projecting pins and forming an endless clothes carrier, the rods 13 located at the ends of the carrier and arranged in a curved series concentric with theends of the carrier and spaced therefrom and adapted to confine the clothes and to rub the same, the bed arranged at the bottom of the bod ybetween the series of rods 13 and provided Wi th a rubbing surface,'and the bars 17 secured to the sides of the body and arranged in elliptical series in the space between the endless carrier, the rods 13, thc bed and the top of the body, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a body, sprocket Wheels mounted on suitable shafts, endless chains, slats secured tothe endless chains and forming a clothes carrier and provided with projecting` pins, the rods 13 arranged in curved series and located at the ends of the clothes carrier, and concentric with the saine and spaced therefrom and adapted to confine the clot-hes, the yieldingly mounted bed arranged at the bottom of the body and located between the series of rods 13, the flexible strips 1G connecting the ends of the bed with the adjacent rods 13 and adapted to prevent the clothes from passing beneath the rods, and the bars 17 secured to the sides 0i' the body and arranged in elliptical series in the path traveled by the clothes, substantially as described.

In testim ony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto ailixcd our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN BRELSFORD. JOHN O. BRE-LSFORD. Witnesses:

P. B. MCTIGHE, D. S. BUCKLEY. 

